Grand Magic Games arc

The Grand Magic Games arc (Dai Matō Enbu Hen) is the thirteenth story arc of the Fairy Tail series. The arc details the events during the X791 Grand Magic Games. Fairy Tail decides to participate in a tournament known as the Grand Magic Games to restore its former glory. However, the competition is fierce with the likes of the current number one guild, Sabertooth, and the former Dark Guild, Raven Tail, seeking to crush them. What's more, a mysterious power seems to be lurking around the tournament grounds. With the news of the return of Fairy Tail's core members spreading like wildfire throughout Fiore, two men begin to speak of Natsu and Gajeel. Also discussing the news are Lahar, Doranbolt and Org in Era, the group talking about the quietness of the Magic world over the past seven years and the older Councilman commenting that he believes the silence will soon break. In the newly rambunctious Fairy Tail guild, the returned Tenrou Island members discover that Fairy Tail currently holds the title of the worst guild in Fiore, whilst a guild called Sabertooth has claimed first during their disappearance. Almost all of the members are distraught over this, save for Natsu, who sees it as an opportunity to rise to number one again. Meanwhile, at the old Fairy Tail guild hall, Makarov leads Gildarts down a secret passage which none of the other members know about, the two eventually reaching a large chamber. Makarov opens the chamber and shows Gildarts the guild's greatest secret, Lumen Histoire. As Gildarts looks on in shock, Makarov explains that he is seeing the true nature of Fairy Tail, before informing Gildarts that he is to be the next guild master.



The two men speaking of Natsu and Gajeel continue, mentioning that one of them was once an apprentice of Gajeel's. The more silent of the two men states that they should not focus on the past, but before his partner can answer the two are attacked from behind. Easily defeating the enemy, the two reveal their identities, being the Dragon Slayer duo of Sabertooth, Sting Eucliffe and Rogue Cheney. Soon after, two Exceeds, Lector and Frosch, approach them, citing they were doing reconnaissance. As the four head off, Sting voices his want to fight Natsu. In an open field near the guild, Natsu battles against Max, shocked that he has to resort to using his Lightning Fire Dragon Mode and Lightning Fire Dragon's Roar to win the fight. Whilst the group all watching the spar discuss their improved strength and dependence on Twilight Ogre for finances over the seven years, Gray comments that aside from monstrously powerful members like Gildarts and Laxus, the rest of Team Tenrou is not strong enough in this new world. Lucy agrees, seeing how much trouble Natsu had against Max. Attempting to seek out a way to raise their Magic Power, Natsu, Lucy, Gray, Happy, Wendy and Carla all go to visit Porlyusica and ask for her help, but the elderly woman chases them away. Meanwhile, at the guild, Makarov moves to introduce Gildarts as the fifth master, only to discover that he has left them a note declining the position and gone to travel again, though not before allowing Laxus to once again join the guild and handing Makarov the title straight back. After reading Gildarts' words on wanting Fairy Tail to be number one again, the guild express their doubt at ever reaching their former rank, though Romeo suddenly steps forward and announces that he knows how to. Elsewhere, Natsu and his friends finally escape Porlyusica when they notice Wendy crying. Natsu gets angry at the old lady for scaring the child but Wendy states she isn't upset because of Porlyusica's anger, but because her voice and scent are similar to Grandeeney's. The others question Wendy's statement, but Wendy seems sure of herself. After logically suppressing the idea that Fairy Tail's medical adviser and the Sky Dragon are one and the same, the group begins to discuss what sort of connection the two could have. Before they can reach a conclusion, Porlyusica appears and states that she has nothing to hide from them, revealing that she is the "Grandeeney" of Edolas, becoming lost and stranded in Earth Land years ago. Despite saying that she has never met Grandeeney, Porlyusica admits that the Sky Dragon has talked to her through her heart with Magic, and that she had compiled a stack of papers with notes that contain information on Sky Dragon Slayer Magic, which should help Wendy to become stronger. However, Porlyusica also cautions Wendy, stating that if not practiced carefully, two spells in particular, Milky Way and Shattering Light: Sky Drill, could destroy her body. Before parting, both Wendy and Porlyusica share a smile. When the group arrives back at the Fairy Tail guild, Macao and Romeo are arguing about the participation of the Fairy Tail in the Grand Magic Games, a competition created in the last seven years where the winner is considered the strongest guild in Fiore, also getting a 30,000,000Jewel prize.



This motivates the missing Fairy Tail members, the group excitedly deciding to enter the competition and regain their former glory. Natsu asks Romeo when it is occurring, the latter replying that it will be held in three months. Despite the older members completely disapproving due to their failure in the Games in the past, Makarov confirms that they will enter and once again be Fiore's number one guild. Having decided that they will compete in the upcoming Grand Magic Games, the returning members of Fairy Tail decide to use their remaining time to train in order make up for being absent during the last seven years. The members of Team Natsu, Juvia and Shadow Gear go to the beach to train, whilst other groups of Fairy Tail head to separate locations to train as well. That afternoon, the group splits up to train. Lucy summons Capricorn in order to help her remedy her weakness, the lack of Magic during critical moments. After following Capricorn's instructions and focusing on her task, the two begin to discuss the "One Magic," with Lucy concluding that she believes it to be love. Meanwhile, Gray, Juvia, Erza and Natsu also practice their Magic by themselves, whilst Levy helps Wendy read through the notes given to her by Porlyusica. That night, whilst the girls bathe in a hot spring, Lucy looks to the stars and vows to push herself as hard as she can to improve for her guild. During day two of training, the Mages notice how much their Magic Power has increased in such a short time, predicting that they may be able to stand a chance if they can keep it up for the three months they have left. Before they can continue however, Virgo appears and tells Lucy that the Celestial Spirit World may be in danger of being destroyed and her Spirits need Natsu and co. to help. Agreeing to assist immediately, Virgo teleports Team Natsu, along with Wendy, Carla and Levy to the Spirit World. When they arrive, the Celestial Spirit King is there waiting for them, but reveals that he merely called them there to celebrate their return after the seven years, the group spending the next day partying with all in the Spirit World. After the festivities, Virgo moves to transport them back to the beach, and the group questions the flow of time difference between the two plains, wondering if they could train for longer in the Spirit World. Virgo however reveals the opposite, stating that they have just lost the three months they had to train, dropping the group back on the beach with only five days until the Games start. Fairy Tail isn't the only guild preparing for the Games though, Lamia Scale's master Ooba Babasaama forcing Lyon and Jura to participate whilst Blue Pegasus also decides to send their strongest into the fray. Sabertooth's Sting is also excited after hearing of Fairy Tail's participation, whilst Makarov's son Ivan Dreyar gathers his Raven Tail team, swearing to crush Fairy Tail. Back at the beach, Team Natsu mopes over their lost time before Erza scares everyone by declaring that she will start a training course from hell for their last remaining days. Before she can however, a messenger bird lands on her head, the note asking the group to come to the bridge in the West Woods. Defensive but curious, the group head to the bridge and cross it to encounter three cloaked figures waiting for them. The trio pull back their hoods to reveal themselves as Jellal, Meredy and Ultear, much to the group's shock. After Jellal and Erza quickly discuss Jellal's jailbreak and the return of his memories six years prior, the three reveal that they have formed an independent guild by the name of Crime Sorcière, their goal being to destroy Dark Guilds and anything related to Zeref so that people will never fall to the dark side as they once did. When asked by Gray why they just don't become official, the trio answer that due to Jellal's status as a criminal and Meredy and Ultear's connection to Grimoire Heart, being accepted by the Council is impossible. Moving along, the three then get down to business of why they summoned the group, explaining that every year they have felt a strange Magic presence at the Grand Magic Games, and, not being in a position to go near the stadium, would like Fairy Tail to investigate for them. In exchange, Ultear offers to increase their Magic abilities, explaining that she can use her improved Arc of Time to open their "Second Origin," a dormant Magic container generally not used by Mages that, if opened, can allow them access to heightened amounts of Magic Power. However, she also warns them that the process will be incredibly painful, but the Fairy Tail Mages are more than happy to receive the help and start celebrating. That is, all except Erza, who stares sternly at Jellal. Ultear starts the process on Natsu, who writhes around in terrible pain as the others fearfully watch. Carla then realizes that Erza is gone, to which Happy states that she went somewhere with Jellal. At a nearby beach, Erza and Jellal sit and discuss the latter's returned memories, Jellal confirming that he remembers Nirvana and killing Simon, stating that Erza can seek revenge if she so chooses. Erza declines, asking if creating Crime Sorcière was part of Jellal's atonement. Jellal states that he's unsure, as he still feels lost, and upon then saying that he would probably be better off dead, Erza slaps him. She yells at him for speaking such nonsense, citing that to live is true strength. When he still doubts, Erza goes to grab his collar in anger, but sends the two falling backwards over the bank instead. Landing atop one another, Jellal states that Erza is right, and Erza begins to cry, saying that she thought she'd never see him again. Remembering all of the events they have been through, the two lean in and almost kiss, but Jellal suddenly pulls away at the last second, stating he has a fiancée. The two apologize to each other awkwardly before Erza asks if the said fiancée is important to him. Jellal answers yes, to which Erza states that he must live for her sake. Some time later, the rest of the team have taken Ultear's procedure and are all enduring it inside a small hut, save for Erza. Crime Sorcière heads off, stating they can't be in one place too long, but promising to keep in touch throughout the Games. The trio stop in a cave for the night, where Meredy asks Jellal why he lied to Erza about having a fiancée, Jellal referring to the rules of the guild as he replies that he can't love someone who walks in the light. However, Erza too has figured out the lie, but comments that for now, she and Jellal have their answer. Happy draws a broken heart in the sand for Erza and she kicks Happy to the moon.

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